An ancient, metre-tall human discovered by a Kiwi and dubbed "the Hobbit" was an entirely separate species and not simply a deformed forebear of our race today.

130 scientists, entrepreneurs and policy leaders held an invitation-only, closed-door meeting at Harvard University to discuss an ambitious plan to create synthetic human genomes.

Growing Up in New Zealand study director Susan Morton is tracking the development of almost 7000 children born seven years ago in the Upper North Island.

It's a dilemma faced by many new parents: do they get up in the night to comfort their crying babies - or let them sob themselves to sleep?

UK law bans labs from growing embryos for longer than 14 days as after two weeks, it is deemed that an individual has started to develop.

Intense training amid 35C heat and 80 per cent humidity may sound like hell to most of us, but to elite athletes it could mean all the difference in making it to the podium.

Being almost too exhausted to write this very article about tiredness is painfully ironic, writes new dad Jamie Morton.

The shedding of emotional tears is unique to humans, but our evolutionary, psychological and biological reasons for "crying it out" remain a mystery.

COMMENT: The internet contains a vast store of information which is much bigger than any individual brain can carry - and that's not always a good thing.

With no cause and no cure, autism remains one of the most mind-bogglingly complex disorders for researchers to tackle.

Bugs capable of everything from curing diseases to mopping up pollution are a step closer after scientists created an artificial lifeform in a lab.

Scientists believe by 2045 they will have achieved immortality.

Reseachers from across the world have attended a major conference in Christchurch showing off their latest theories, technology, data, and videos furthering the state-of-the-art in human robot interaction.

The "root of all evil" has been discovered by scientists who found that part of the brain fires up before nefarious acts are carried out.

The best things in life are not only free - they also arrive before we hit middle-age, it seems.

Viagra could be given to women in childbirth to reduce complications and save babies' lives.

A device that sends an electric current into nerve fibres found in the ears could help millions of people with depression.

Adult play is a booming branch of the wellness industry, but can it really relieve stress? Cherrill Hicks finds out.

Microbiologist Adam Roberts went digging through men's beards in search of poop.

British scientists have received official permission to genetically modify human embryos.

Humans aren't going to last forever, no species ever has. It's hard for me to believe there's anything afterwards.

A simple jab could stop cravings for alcohol, cigarettes and junk food, say scientists.

Average penis size revealed: Scientists attempt to find what is 'normal' to reassure concerned men.

Twins Jayden and Xavier Boughey have to convince their classmates they're brothers.

Your nearest psychopath might be your father-in-law, your boss, your financial adviser or even that guy your daughter is thinking about dating. Just who these people are, how many there are in our society and what helps them blend in are questions that have inspired a Waikato University researcher to launch a major project.

Your nearest psychopath might be your father-in-law, your boss, your financial adviser or even that guy your daughter is thinking about dating.

The most untruthful people are likely to look you straight in the eye and give confident, thought-out replies, research claims.

Scientists just can't agree on whether video games will save you or kill you.